News & Events

Folks, we are delighted to share with you some of the recipes that were entered into our healthy treat competition. They were all gorgeous so we thought you could make them too!!!First up are these amazing Lemon & Spirulina Bars by Angela Bruni, one of our two joint winners!Angela says: 'These delicious bars are the perfect on-the-go snack. It requires no baking and can easily be adapted to be vegan and gluten-free. Enjoy! These were great fun to make.'Lemon and Spirulina Bars(Makes 6 bars)INGREDIENTS 1 tbsp Coconut Oil3 tbsp Honey or Maple Syrup6 Medjool Dates1 tbsp Almond Butter1 Unwaxed Lemon for juice and rind2 tbsp Goji Berries2 tbsp Sesame Seeds1 tbsp Ground Flax1 tbsp Chia Seeds1 tbsp Spirulina 50g Pumpkin Seeds100g OatsMETHOD1. Chop dates into small pieces and add chopped dates, coconut oil, sweetener of choice, almond butter and lemon juice to a small pan. Cook on medium until the dates are soft and make a paste with the other wet ingredients. Set aside. 2. In a separate bowl add the goji berries, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, ground flax, chia seeds, spirulina and oats. Mix until everything is well incorporated together. 3. Add wet ingredients to the dry and combine until the mixture has a sticky consistency. 4. Take a loaf tin and line with parchment paper. Add the bar mixture in and press down until uniform. 5. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours and cut into bars. The recipe makes 6 decent shaped bars perfect for work, school or even post workout.

Folks, we are delighted to announce the beginning of the Alchemy delivery service, so if you want to cater a meeting, treat your staff or feed the crew, we can bring you the finest, healthiest and tastiest food around!!!

This is a whole new concept of fresh whole-foods, salad boxes and Vietnamese style banh mi baguettes plus amazing cold-pressed juices and smoothies. We also have a selection of sandwiches and treats from our sister company Joe’s! And we specialise in food for vegans and vegetarians as well as having wheat-free, paleo and low-carb options! Something for everyone!

Perfect for working lunches for staff and clients as well as for seminars and group meetings!!!

We deliver to your door but we do need 48 hours notice and a minimum booking of €50.

Note: We only deliver to the greater Dublin area. Minimum number of guests for platter orders is five and orders should be placed in multiples of five. Delivery charges start at €5 and vary depending on the distance. Free delivery for orders over €80 in Dublin 1, Dublin 2, Dublin 4 and Dublin 18. And, of course, terms and conditions apply!

We have our short-list of finalists sorted for Saturday's cook-off in Kildare Village. Indy Power (The Little Green Spoon) and our own Domini Kemp will be the judges on the day. It all kicks off at 11am. Swing by if you like your treats healthy and tasty!

If you’re eating more healthily this January - and indeed hoping to do so all year - it should never be a chore. That’s what we’re all about here in Alchemy in Kildare Village. We create healthy dishes and lots of choices so eating healthily is something you can enjoy! From soups and salads to hot pots and pho, you’ll find something for everyone!

Thanks so much to all the fabulous entrants to our healthy treat competition! You are a very, very talented bunch!!!We will get back to you soon with the announcement of the short-list for the 'cook-off' here in Kildare Village on January 26th with judges Indy Power (The Little Green Spoon) and Domini Kemp.

We’ve been asked to give you folks a bit more time to get your entries in, so we’ve extended the deadline to Tuesday, January 15th!

So . . .

WHAT? Submit your fave original healthy treat recipe (with pic) to event@alchemyjuice.ie WHEN? Before Tuesday, January 15thTHEN? The top 10 will enter a cook-off on January 26th here in Kildare Village judged by Indy Power of The Little Green Spoon and our own Domini Kemp.AND? You could win a €300 gift card for Kildare Village!SO? What are you waiting for!?!!

GET YOUR COOKING CAPS ON!!!We are running a really cool competition with the superfab Indy Power of The Little Green Spoon! We want you to submit your original Healthy Treat recipe. We will then compile a short-list and these will then enter a cook-off on January 26th here in Kildare Village. This will be judged by Indy and our own Domini Kemp. You could win a €300 gift card for Kildare Village!So get your fave healthy treat recipe in now!The competition is open to all. For more information, terms and conditions and to enter, please email event@alchemyjuice.ie

It’s cold out there and when you’re doing your Christmas shopping here in Kildare Village (www.kildarevillage.com), you need to make sure you’re warmed up. Which is where Alchemy’s range of new hot dishes comes in.

However, we also have a range of new HOT POTS developed by Domini Kemp and her chefs. These are served with rice or cauliflower rice and we have different ones including Chicken & Leek Casserole, Beef & Guinness Stew, Vegan Paleo Stew and Chorizo & Chickpea! All super-tasty hot dishes!

We also do two different pho:

BEEF, GINGER & SEAWEED PHO: This is made with our famous bone broth, charred Irish beef, ginger, spring onions, garlic, lemongrass, chill and glass noodles. It is wheat-free and dairy-free.

and

CHICKEN & LEMONGRASS PHO: Also made with our bone broth, this comes with charred chicken, ginger, spring onions, garlic, lemongrass, chilli and glass noodles. It is wheat-free and dairy-free.

We hope you enjoy this hot and tasty range of dishes while you’re shopping in the village.

Folks, we are delighted to announce that we opened our newest venture in Kildare Village Retail Park in October and we have been flying ever since.

First, we’d like to thank you all for your words of support and all your best wishes. That means everything to us. We’re all about you and providing you with what you want and what’s good for you.

Second, as well as our regular juices, smoothies, soups and legendary bone broth, we have added a whole new range of salads. These include KOREAN CHICKEN SALAD, CHILLI BEEF NOODLE SALAD, SALMON MISO BOWL and our VEGAN SUPER CAESAR, which we think will become a bit of a favourite.

We also have a range of new dishes including different daily hot pots. Then we have some really gorgeous pho: BEEF, GINGER & SEAWEED PHO and CHICKEN & LEMONGRASS PHO. And we have added two gorgeous Vietnamese-style banh mi sandwiches to the menu: BANH MI with charred chicken, pickled vegetables, coriander, mint, tahini, chilli and lime dressing and a VEGAN BAHN MI with roast Portobello mushrooms, pickled vegetables, coriander, mint, tahini, chilli and lime dressing.

We are also thrilled to be working with Dublin specialty coffee company Cloud Picker Coffee Roasters. We are already getting great praise for their coffee! And we can add that they are a great team to work with!

Their coffee also goes well with our new range of treats here in Kildare Village, which include: INDY POWER’S TAHINI & HAZELNUT BALLS

Alchemy founder Domini Kemp explains to Emma Costello of RSVP magazine how reducing her carb intake while undergoing treatment for cancer helped to turn her life around

There are a myriad of diets coming at us these days and with so many to choose from deciphering the fact from fiction can be a challenge.

Almost 40% of the Irish population is now classed as overweight, while a huge proportion suffer from illnesses that are aggravated by inflammation leading to a search for healthy options.

Domini Kemp, the celebrity chef and co-author (with nutritional therapist Patricia Daly) of the award-winning book The Ketogenic Kitchen, is a champion of the keto diet.

What is the keto diet?

A keto diet is a low-carb diet that switches the body from burning sugar found in carbs to burning fat as a source of energy. When your primary energy is coming from carbs, your fats are not needed and are therefore stored.

After eating any carbs, from a pizza to a potato, they turn into sugar in your blood. But if you replace these carbs with fats and protein your body will switch to burning fat.

When this happens your body enters a state of ketosis. Optimal ketone levels offer many health, weight loss, physical and mental performance benefits. Domini first explored the diet when she was undergoing treatment for cancer.

“I was diagnosed with cancer for the second time in 2013,” she says.

“Whilst undergoing conventional treatment for breast cancer, it was clear that keeping my blood sugar stable was a good thing.

For some cancer patients, weight loss can be undesirable, but for many of us, weight gain during chemotherapy can lead to poorer outcomes.

So I started to eat low carb – not ketogenic – by restricting processed foods and avoiding all sugar. I met my co-author, Patricia, who was using the ketogenic diet to manage her lifestyle post her cancer diagnosis.

Our approaches to our diets differed, but we wanted to write a book about introducing a low carb and a ketogenic diet.” Five years later, Patricia is still on the ketogenic diet and is thriving on it, while Domini sticks to a low carb diet 80% of the time – but embraces the ketogenic diet for three weeks every year to allow her system reboot.

Low carb is approx 50g of carbohydrate a day, while the carbohydrate allowance on the ketogenic diet is around the 20-30g mark, depending on the individual.

An average apple contains approximately 20 grams of carbs, an average potato around 40 grams, while a small thick base pizza contains around 160 grams. It can take up to three weeks to reach the state of ketosis.

What are the benefits?

Domini understands that it can be a challenging diet, but says the results for weight loss and general health can be quite dramatic.

“It has gained in popularity in recent years due to its effectiveness in controlling blood glucose levels and has become popular among those looking for significant weight loss as well as endurance athletes,” she says.

"A whole host of metabolic benefits are introduced when you are in ketosis, but probably the biggest difference is the fact that your blood sugars don’t fluctuate as much, which reduces cravings and other symptoms associated with a blood sugar rollercoaster.

"It’s also fair to say that the tech world is becoming very interested in it as they recognise the mental clarity and other benefits it brings!”

As for the drawbacks? The healthy-eating advocate explains: “It can be challenging to comply with and it is certainly not for everyone.

"But a well designed ketogenic diet can be a great way to give your system a ‘break’ from the metabolic havoc that high carb diets have on our health. Anybody having an underlying condition (e.g. compromised liver or kidney function, immune deficiencies, diabetes or other chronic illnesses) needs to be supervised medically, but most people can enjoy a low carb diet, so that’s a good place to start!”

Domini believes that carbs should be approached with an open mind.

She adds: “I adore carbs, but they don’t adore me. I used to eat a low-fat, high carb diet and it did not suit me. I struggled to keep my weight off, was always ‘hangry’ and felt sluggish and sleepy after every meal.

Now, I’m a stone lighter, can fast for 24 hours quite easily and feel better. Knowing my blood glucose is low and hearing my oncologist comment on my low HbA1c helps me feel like I am on the right track.”

Ketogenic or Atkins?

There is probably less emphasis on the protein side with keto.

On an Atkins diet, protein is pushed more (think steak and eggs for breakfast) whereas on a well designed ketogenic diet, the emphasis is really on healthy fats and non-starchy vegetables (dark, green leafy ones) as well as smaller quantities of good quality oily fish and other proteins.

If you’re looking for a nice lamb recipe with a bit of a twist this Easter, check out this gorgeous recipe for Lamb Skewers by Domini. Really tasty and the whole family will enjoy them.

Lamb Skewers with Pistachio Aioli

Domini writes: “The rosemary skewers were very easy to make but don’t feel pressure to use them; wooden or metal ones work too. The only reason I used the rosemary ones was that the ones that had survived the winter in my garden were so stalky and tough that I decided to give them a final hurrah in the frying pan.

“The pistachio aioli is wonderful. It is so good that I urge you to slather it on all sorts of fish and chicken or even just keep it to blob on some cooked broccoli. The colour is gorgeous and even though minced lamb can sometimes be too ‘lamby’, this recipe was delicious. The aioli will make more than you need for this recipe, but it becomes a tad addictive after a while, so embrace the extra quantity for use for the rest of the week.”

Lamb Skewers (serves 4 as a starter or part of large buffet)

500g minced lamb

Good pinch salt & ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

Small bit of olive oil in a bowl or saucer

4-6 rosemary stalks or wooden skewers (soaked) or metal ones

Mix the lamb, salt, pepper and garlic. Then mould an equal amount of meat on the skewers or stalks using your hands that you should dip into the oil. Then put them all on a plate and chill, covered in the fridge until ready to cook.

When you are ready to cook, heat up a bit more olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan and when it's nearly smoking, fry the skewers on each side until good and brown. You want them to form a good, dark crust so that they will stay fixed onto the skewers. Turn them over in the pan and shake them gently. You don’t want to manhandle them but rather coax them, into cooking on all sides.

Put on a large platter or individual plates with blob of the aioli and mixed leaves.

Pistachio Aioli

110 g shelled pistachios

Big bunch parsley

2 tsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. capers

1 egg yolk

3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

Plus 100 ml olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

Splash sherry vinegar

Small squeeze honey

Salt& pepper

Extra 50 ml olive oil or water

On pulse mode, whizz the pistachios and parsley until they form a coarse and slightly chunky crumb. You may need to give them a shove with a spatula so that you blitz them in an even fashion. Add the 2 tsps of olive oil and capers, give it one final blitz and once you have an even crumb, leave it in the food processor.

In a bowl, whisk the egg yolk with the garlic and then very slowly, start adding the olive oil until you can feel it emulsifying. Then you can add this a bit more steadily. Once you are at the halfway point of adding the 100 ml olive oil, mix in the lemon juice and then continue with the rest of the oil.

Then add this to the ground up pistachios along with the splash of sherry vinegar, squeeze of honey and some salt & pepper. Process and then you can add either another 50 ml of olive oil or water, depending on how loose or rich you want to keep it. Do this until you get the desired consistency, but taste and adjust the seasoning. You may need to add more lemon juice, sherry vinegar or salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.

We never thought we’d be posting a Domini Kemp recipe for Fish & Chips but this one she did on RTE’s Today show is just gorgeous! And, as always, it’s supertasty, superhealthy and super easy to prepare. It will also please all the family and if you’re lucky, you may even have most of the ingredients in the fridge, freezer or cupboards!

INGREDIENTS (serves four)

100 g coconut flour

Good pinch sea salt

Loads of black pepper

4-6 skinless white fish fillets , cut into strips (approx 600g)

2 eggs

Olive oil

METHOD

Preheat oven to 200 C. Mix the coconut flour with the dried ingredients. Beat the eggs and together and drop the fish into the egg wash and then plop it into the "flour" and put on an oiled non stick baking tray or tray lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with a bit more oil and then bake in a hot oven until browned and crisp. This might take about 20 minutes in total and half way through cooking, it's good to turn them over (gingerly) so they can brown on both sides.

CHIPS

2 sweet potatoes

good pinch smoked sweet paprika

good pinch thyme

goof pinch salt

drizzle olive oil

Cut the sweet potatoes into wedges. Toss with other ingredients and bake until tender.

Ireland take on Wales in the Six Nations this weekend, so if you're looking for the perfect recipe to feed rugby-watching folk, here's Alchemy founder Domini Kemp's Six Nations Stew. It is delicious, easy to make and a real crowd-pleaser!

Domini writes: 'This is a robust, unctuous stew that appeals to all ages. Try to make it the day before and re-heat the next day as it makes life a whole lot easier. This fed eight adults, one teenager and three children and provided enough for three leftover dinners the next day. To be safe, let's say it feeds 12 adults.'

INGREDIENTS

3 kg diced lamb

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

6 red onions, finely sliced

3 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

1 big pieces ginger, peeled and grated

1 head garlic, peeled and sliced

Good squeeze harissa (optional)

1.5 litres stock

4 tins tomatoes

4 bay leaves

400 g stoned prunes

50 ml soy sauce

50 ml maple syrup

METHOD

In a large frying pan, fry the lamb in batches in olive oil, season well and set aside. Meanwhile, in another heavy-based saucepan (or two; I had to use two as I didn’t have one big enough), sweat the onions in some olive oil until soft. Add the five-spice powder, ginger, garlic and harissa to the onions and mix well. Cook out for another few minutes. When the lamb is all done, add to the saucepan, mix well and de-glaze the frying pan with some stock and pour it into the saucepan.

Add the tinned tomatoes and bay leaves along with the rest of the stock. Mix well and bring up to the boil, then simmer for about and hour and a half. I kept the lid on, but after about an hour, removed it so that it could reduce and thicken up. Stir occasionally and then add the prunes and soy sauce and maple syrup. Cook for another 20 minutes and then cool slightly and taste. Adjust the seasoning as necessary.

Some great news! Domini is doing three cooking demos around the country in the next two weeks. You can catch her in the Avoca shop in Kilmacanogue, Co Wicklow on Tuesday, February 13th, in the Ashdown Park Hotel in Gorey, Co Wexford on Thursday, February 15th and in Ballymaloe in Cork on Sunday, February 25th.

Photograph: Aidan Crawley

We’ve pasted links below here so you can get more information and book your place.

It’s officially the first day of spring so what better time than now to share this gorgeous Domini Kemp lamb recipe with you. Not only that, but there’s a bonus salad recipe so we can all look forward to the salad days ahead. Domini made this recently on the Today Show on RTE and, needless to say, it’s very tasty, very healthy and easy to prepare. We hope you enjoy it!

LAMB SHOULDER WITH CHICKPEA SALAD

INGREDIENTS (serves 4-6)

Lamb

1 shoulder of lamb

1 head garlic, left whole, skin on

2 tsp fennel seeds

Squeeze of honey

Salt and pepper

Chickpea salad

1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 tsp each fennel and cumin seeds

Shoulder of lamb, shredded

1 Chinese cabbage, finely sliced

1 yellow pepper, finely sliced

1 pack feta, roughly broken into cubes

Dressing

100ml olive oil

2 tbsp sherry vinegar

big squeeze of honey

salt and pepper

large bunch of mint, finely chopped

salt & pepper

METHOD

Lamb

Preheat oven to 180C degrees. Wrap the joint tightly in tinfoil – two layers if you can – and place in a roasting tin and roast for 3-4 hours, until it’s falling away from the bone.

Halfway through cooking, take it out of the oven and turn the joint over, season well, including the honey and fennel seeds, and then place it back in the oven.

When it’s done, let it cool, remove the bone and shred the meat, which will have a moreish caramelised finish in places.

If, however, it’s too fatty at this stage, put it back in the oven for another 40 minutes or so, without foil to let the fat render off.

For a simple roast dinner, serve with crispy potatoes, roasted carrots and parsnips, and gravy. If you can resist eating the whole lot and happen to have some left for the next day, try the salad below.

Chickpea salad

Grill the lamb until sticky and crisp.

Toast the chickpeas on a tray in the oven for about 15 minutes with a little olive oil, some salt and pepper, and the fennel and cumin seeds. Leave aside to cool.

Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together and adding the finely chopped mint at the end.

To assemble the salad, toss all the ingredients together with the dressing.

Really nice recipe here for Lamb Rendang from Domini which ticks all those January boxes: hearty, healthy and wholesome! It also has very easy-going flavours and will appeal to everyone in the family from kids to grannies and all in between!

Photograph: The Irish Times

Ingredients (serves 4 plus leftovers)

1 tbsp coriander seeds (6g)

1 tsp cumin seeds (2g)

1 cinnamon stick (2.3g)

4 cloves (1g)

Good pinch dried chillies (2g)

2 tsp turmeric (4.4g)

I tbsp coconut oil (27g)

2 onions, peeled & chopped (300g)

Big knob ginger, peeled & sliced (10g)

6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced (12g)

2 stick lemongrass, finely chopped (4.8g)

1 kg diced lamb (1kg)

Salt & pepper (3g)

1 tin coconut milk (400g)

Bunch coriander (12g)

Method

Put all the spices in a large saucepan and gently heat for a minute to dry-roast them. Either grind them up or pour into a cup and crush them with the end of a rolling pin.

Pour the crushed, dry-roasted spices back into the saucepan and add the coconut oil. Add the onion, ginger and garlic and sweat for a few minutes.

Add in the meat; mix well so it is well coated in the spices and season well with salt and pepper.

Add the coconut milk. Cook for at least two hours on a very gentle heat. I didn’t keep a lid on it as I wanted it to reduce, but do give it the occasional stir as it tends to burn the bottom of the pan. Eventually the meat should be incredibly tender, and the sauce nice and thick.

Adjust the seasoning and serve with loads of chopped coriander and on some boiled rice, but only a little!

This is one of those dishes that also tastes very good the next day! If it has dried out too much, just add a few splashes of water and check the seasoning.

Folks, you'll find our 'Golden Shots' turmeric tonics in all five Joe's coffee shops! They contain fresh turmeric juice, lemon juice, ginger, black pepper and flaxseed oil and can be consumed either as straight-up shots, with juice or water or added to hot water to make a warming winter tea!

With the weather this cold and Christmas looming large, we thought we'd share Domini's recipe for the Alchemy Juice Co Bone Broth with you again. It's a 'cracker' of a dish and is easy to make. Everyone can enjoy it too as it's supertasty! You can use chicken bones or turkey ones!

Ingredients

1 leftover chicken/turkey carcass

Small bunch spring onions

Bunch fresh coriander

2 sticks lemongrass (outer leaves removed), finely chopped

4 lime leaves

Large knob ginger, peeled and finely sliced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp miso

Salt & pepper

Juice of 2 limes

Method

Simmer your roast chicken or turkey bones in three litres of water for at least four hours with a splash of cider vinegar, with a lid on it. Even though you have a lid on it, you might need to top it up so that the bones are covered.

After it has cooked for four hours, take the lid off and let it reduce down by a third. At this point, I spoon out the bones and throw them away. Then I cool the stock down by putting the pot in a cold “bath” in my kitchen sink.

After about an hour, it should be cold enough to be transferred into a smaller pot or bowl, which can then fit in your fridge.

When you are ready to make your broth, it couldn't be faster: in a large saucepan, heat the broth and then add all the other ingredients except the fresh herbs and miso. Simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse, before stirring in the miso (which shouldn't be boiled) and serving with chopped fresh coriander.

Need something hot and healthy this weather? We have a really tasty and super-healthy recipe by Alchemy founder Domini Kemp, using two of her favourite ingredients: garlic and ginger. Be warned: if you don’t like garlic (or smelling of garlic!), this might not be for you. However, we guarantee you one thing: this dish is worth it! And like all of Domini’s recipes, it is simple and quick to make and uses basic ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 2-4, depending on what and how much you add to it

2 heads (yes, whole heads) garlic, peeled and sliced finely

2 tbsp olive oil

5 sage leaves, sliced

1 tbsp thyme leaves

2 litres water

Knob of ginger, peeled and sliced

Bunch of parsley, chopped

METHOD

Heat the olive oil and (this is crucial) very gently sauté the garlic and herbs – this is almost an infusion.

Add the water and ginger and season well.

Simmer gently for five minutes, then take off the heat and let it sit for an hour.

Reheat and serve with a little more olive oil and a poached egg, finely chopped spring onions and shredded seaweed.

This week we feature two recipes, one from Domini and one from her eight-year-old daughter, Maeve. They appeared together on RTE’s Today show with Dáithí Ó Sé and Maura Derrane over the mid-term break and prepared two gorgeous dishes, both of which are perfect for those with a sweet tooth but which are healthier than other recipes.

Domini’s Banana Bread

There are lots of banana bread recipes, but this one is a slightly healthier version: a little less sugar, more nuts. It's also suitable if you can't eat wheat and if you swap out the butter for coconut oil, it's also dairy-free.

Domini adds: “I actually find this recipe very sweet, so feel free to reduce the sugar down to 50g. All depends on your taste!”

(12 thickish slices)

60g coconut oil or butter

4 over-ripe bananas (about 540g)

2 eggs

100g coconut palm sugar

100g coconut flour

100g ground almonds

generous pinch of salt

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon (more if you like it)

scrape fresh nutmeg

½ tsp ground cardamom

100g chopped walnuts

Soften the butter (or melt the coconut oil) and mix (or blend) it together with the eggs and the bananas before adding in the coconut sugar and mixing thoroughly.

Next, in a large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients except the walnuts. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and mix well before folding in the nuts.

To cook it, grease and line a loaf tin and empty in the mixture. It will be pretty cement-like, but don’t worry. Bake at 170C for 50 minutes until a skewer will come out of it clean. Leave to cool before removing from the tin.

Maeve's Chocolate, Cashew and Chia Bites

Chia seeds are full of nutrients, fibre and contain protein and omega 3s! It is also suggested that bee pollen is anti-inflammatory and boosts immune function. It's a mixture of bee saliva, nectar and pollen.

Dark choc: fibre, copper, magnesium and other nutrients! But the higher the percentage the less sugar, so aim for 85%.

Cashews packed with the vitamins and nutrients essential to good health.